Catskills Challenge · 2027

Catskills Challenge · 2027

TWENTY CLIMBS. FOUR CORNERS. ONE SEASON.

Ride them at your own pace, October 14 to March 15. We'll keep count.

Sign up

Free. Open to everyone.

Where this started

In May 2024, Elsa Lagache rode the Catskill SR600: 372 miles, more than 30,000 feet of climbing, in the same mountains these climbs sit in. She finished in under 60 hours.

We watched her do it in a weekend and figured the rest of us could take a season.

That's the Catskills Challenge. Same hills, your own pace.

How it works

  1. 1

    Sign up.

    A short form. Members and non-members, everyone's in.

  2. 2

    Connect Strava.

    Do it once, and your rides count on their own after that. No Strava? Upload your ride files instead.

  3. 3

    Go ride.

    Every climb you finish shows up on your own page. Finish a region and pick up its sticker. Finish all four and pick up the Everwild cap.

The four regions

Each region is a cluster of climbs. Link them into one big day, or pick them off over a few weekends.

Eastern Catskills

Climbs
5
Climbing
—
Suggested loop
—

Southern Catskills

Climbs
6
Climbing
—
Suggested loop
—

Western Catskills

Climbs
6
Climbing
—
Suggested loop
—

Northern Catskills

Climbs
3
Climbing
—
Suggested loop
—

Once you sign up, your page lists every climb and a suggested loop for each region.

Some climbs are on dirt. Wider tires help; a gravel bike is more fun.

Region rides

Four of our monthly community rides each take on one region's loop, together.

MonthRegion
MayEastern
JuneSouthern
AugustWestern
SeptemberNorthern

Come for one or come for all four. Ride details go to everyone signed up, and to our Strava club.

Rewards

Finish a region

That region's sticker, with the year on it.

Finish all twenty

The Everwild cap, a finisher's certificate, and a finisher number that's yours for good. If you want, your name goes on the Finishers wall too.

Pick up your sticker or cap at either counter. Show your Challenge email or your Challenge page.

Can't make it to either? Reply to your Challenge email and we'll sort it out.

Questions

Who can do the Challenge?

Anyone. You don't need to be a club member, and you never will.

Does it cost anything?

No. The Challenge, the stickers and the cap are free.

Do I need Strava?

No. Connecting Strava is the easy way, because your rides count on their own. Without it, upload the ride file from your bike computer or app after each ride.

Do I need a waiver?

Not to ride the climbs on your own. The four region rides are club rides, so they need our annual waiver, signed once a year.

What bike should I ride?

Whatever you've got. Road, gravel, mountain or e-bike rides all count. Some climbs have dirt sections, so wider tires help.

Do indoor rides count?

No. The climbs only count when you ride them outside.

Does my speed matter?

Not at all. A climb counts when you finish it. We never look at your time.

Do I have to ride them all at once?

No. Take the whole season. Ride a region in a day, or one climb at a time. Group rides count for everyone who records them.

Why didn’t my ride count?

Usually it's one of three things: the ride is set to Only you on Strava, the GPS lost the climb, or the ride started outside the season. Check it again from your Challenge page, or upload the original file from your device.

When does it start and end?

Rides from October 14 through March 15, 2027 count.

How do I get my sticker or cap?

Pick it up at either counter. Show your Challenge email or your Challenge page. If you can't get to either, reply to your Challenge email.

What’s a finisher number?

Everyone who rides all twenty in a season gets a number, in the order they finish. It's yours for good.

Are there group rides?

Yes. Four of our monthly community rides each take on one region. Everyone signed up gets the details.

How do I share my rides?

Tag @catskillscycling and use #CyclingintheCatskills. We share our favorites.

I’ve got a climb you should add.

We'd love to hear it. Email us.

Can I stop?

Any time. Disconnect Strava or leave the Challenge from your page.

Still stuck?